Old Wounds
by ultraminty
Summary: The war for Valentia is over. With nowhere to turn, Deen leaves to deal with his own problems. Having heard rumors of witches being spotted to the east, he heads for the new continent, certain that this is where he ought to be. Though he's confident his business won't take long, he can't help but feel there's something larger at play here in Archanea. (Art done by Yaleyart!)
1. Chapter 1

Deen stepped off of the ship and steadied himself on the boardwalk. The sun lingered just over the horizon, though he knew it would still be dark in Valentia. He looked back at the captain.

"Did I give you enough?" Deen said.

In the captain's hand was a bag of gold. He nodded, "Aye, think you gave me too much actually."

"Keep it. You've done more than I could ask for," Deen said.

"Appreciate it." The captain tipped his hat and started to walk back to his quarters but stopped. "I'll be docked at this port another day or so. If yer back soon, I can offer a return trip."

"Thanks," Deen said, "but I won't need it. Got some business to take care of and then… I don't know."

"I getcha. In that case, best of luck, lad." The captain left.

It didn't take long for Deen to move through town. He absently scanned the port and noted that it wasn't much different than any of the others he'd been to. There were ships lining the docks, merchants ready to strike deals and a bar or two for any traveling sellswords. Maybe what the people wore, and the architecture, were different, but he couldn't be bothered.

The sun climbed higher in the sky, and with it came people ready to take on the day. They were well-off in a port town, where revenue flowed like water. Still, it was mostly lower class. Deen watched a pair of children race past him, and trailing behind were the parents, smiling and leaning into one another.

All of a sudden, he felt a strong urge to hold his Brave Sword close.

He purchased a cheap horse and some provisions – both for himself and his steed – then set off, heading deeper into the continent. The trees and landscape were unfamiliar, but he was certain of his path. He had memorized the map countless times and knew the trip's duration: about half a day's worth of riding. He kept an eye out for any trouble and let the scenery fade from his mind.

The sun came to its apex, then began to descend. As Deen came around a bend, he slowed his horse to a halt. He pulled a piece of paper out from the back of his shield and unfolded it, comparing the sketch to the fort in front of him. The cobblestone was worn down, parts of the wall were missing and a green flag – with a stylized snakehead adorning it – hung limply from a watchtower. "A perfect match," he said.

He left his horse and approached the fort from the side. There were two men patrolling what was left of the wall, but they didn't spot Deen in the underbrush. When he saw his chance, he climbed up into the giant gap in the wall and scaled the jagged, inclined surface. When he reached the top, he peeked above it and saw that one guard had his back turned.

Deen pulled himself up and unsheathed his sword. The guard heard, but too late. He went down with a great gash in his chest. The second guard had time to act and shouted as he swung his blade down.

Parrying the blow with his shield, Deen slashed the man's stomach open. He made another deep cut on the man's neck, then moved on as the body fell.

More guards scrambled up the spiral stairs. Deen rushed through one of the corner towers on the wall and kicked down the door leading to the staircase. A man on the other side went tumbling down and took another with him. The other men readied themselves, but Deen cut through his opposition with a practiced ease. His descent was bloody, but he got through unscathed.

Now on the ground floor, he delved further into the fort. There were more mercenaries along the way and Deen cut them down. Just as planned, his intrusion had been a contained incident. Only those who were close by had heard the fighting, and though someone certainly went to warn the others, that gave Deen precious time. He had the upper hand in the winding, sullen corridors, where he could slink about in the shadows to avoid confrontation. But he couldn't delay, lest his target escape amidst the chaos.

Another trio of men passed and Deen watched them from his hiding spot. He stepped out and continued until he arrived at the dungeons. He descended and noticed that the glum area was surprisingly well-lit. There were holes in the roof that let the orange light of the sun filter through. At least he could see. He approached the final corner and peered around it.

"-defenses have been breached," a mercenary said. He looked winded. "We don't know where he's gone."

A man in a lime-green jacket turned his hooded head, "It would seem so, for our visitor killed eight of you. No other souls have departed yet." He grinned. "He's saving his energy for when he finds me."

"Shouldn't we all form up on you then?"

"No, Deen is a careful fighter. He came alone to evade our larger forces, but he'll leave if you all guard me," the man said. "We shall let him come to us."

"T-Then we're going to just let him kill more of us?"

"You misjudge the situation. I can sense his vengeful spirit and I am his target. Though if you are an obstacle, he will end you," the hooded man said. "After all this time he's still after me..."

Deen clenched his teeth and swallowed the anger he felt building in his throat. He gripped his sword with just enough strength and checked his strapped shield for the last time. It was time to put this all to rest.

He turned the corner shield-first. The mercenary gasped and even the hooded man stopped grinning. Neither were armed, but Deen attacked the hooded man without hesitation.

He sidestepped the attack. Deen spotted a flash of silver and raised his shield, deflecting the man's dagger. The man kept moving in, another dagger in his left hand. He thrusted it into Deen's heart, only for it to clank against his steel chestplate.

Deen flew back a few feet. He felt the force of the blow compress his chest and barely stifled a cry of pain. Now a fair distance away, Deen glared at the hooded man. "Draco, you bastard… you've eaten more souls."

"I had no intention of dying to some dog like yourself. There's still so much for me to do." He looked at Deen's Brave Sword and sneered. "My word, you truly can't let it go, can you?"

"She can't rest until you're dead," Deen said.

"Acting on your emotions will get you killed one day."

"You're one to talk."

Draco laughed, even as Deen closed in on him. He swung his sword like a machine and kept it close to his body. Draco avoided some of the initial onslaught, but a shield bash to his gut kept him still. Deen slashed once, twice across Draco's chest. He punched him in the face and felt bones crack, but Draco still surged forward. Now on defense, Deen parried the dagger slashes, but many more scathed his armor.

The flurry of blows should've been nothing against the protective steel, but Draco's strength made it feel as if each dagger was a two-handed axe. Deen grunted as another thrust hit his shoulder. It popped a moment later and he scrunched up his good eye.

Seeing Deen was dazed from the wound, Draco prepared a finishing blow. "You'll just let me win like last time?"

Deen barred his teeth and whipped his sword outward. He swatted the incoming attack aside, then cut through Draco's exposed off-hand. The appendage dropped to the ground.

"No," Deen said, "I don't go down so easily." Brave Sword still in hand, he cupped his shoulder, then forcibly relocated it. There was no way it was properly done, but his arm worked fine again. He'd worry about proper healing later.

Draco laughed. "Would you look at that, all grown up, are we? Though you always were an effective punching bag. Certainly, one of your more… _charming _qualities."

He came at Deen once more, unfazed by the loss of his hand. He still packed a punch, but he couldn't effectively get past the shield with just one weapon. It didn't take long for Deen to wear the man out, and when Draco swung too hard, Deen sidestepped, let the man whiff and went in to end this. He brought his sword down straight through his neck. Draco's head fell to the ground, his body followed soon after and he didn't move again.

Deen pointed his sword down instinctively, but a moment later, he drank in what had happened. It… it was over. He felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders and cracked a genuine smile. Everything he had done wrong was now worth it. He looked up to the ceiling, through one of the holes in the roof, "Rest easy, sweetheart…"

Before he could fully celebrate, he remembered where he was. Right, it was time to leave.

Deen then eyed the mercenary, who was frozen in fear (and cornered), and slowly advanced on the man. However, just before he could strike him down, he caught a glimpse of what was in the dungeon cell: a young woman chained to the wall. She had long, green hair with cuts and bruises adorning her body.

"Where's _she _from?" He pointed his sword at the mercenary's throat.

"W-We ambushed her far from here, further east. There were two others with her, but she stalled us while they escaped."

Deen narrowed his eyes, knowing what Draco ultimately planned for this woman. Though, it shouldn't have been possible given the death of Duma. He prodded the man's throat with his blade, "Give me the key."

The mercenary unhooked it from his belt, then ran off after Deen sheathed his sword. Key in hand, he stepped over Draco – making sure to directly tread on top of the body – and unlocked the door. As he came closer, the feeling of familiarity continued to grow. She looked taller than most women and had a white bandanna that barely peeked out from behind her hair. Then it hit him.

"Palla?" He said.

She stirred from her bound position but didn't answer. Even as Deen unlocked her restraints, she didn't say anything. He caught her as she crumpled to the floor. Looking over her, he didn't see any open wounds, but it was difficult to tell with all the dry blood. Just the sight of her, broken and defenseless, made Deen bare his teeth. It reminded him too much of the past, but more importantly, of how he was partly to blame for this. If only he-

"Oh? You know her?"

Deen gasped as he flew into the wall. He felt the cold bite of steel pierce his lower back, then the unforgiving cobblestone bruising his body as he slammed into it. He looked back and saw Draco risen from the dead. His neck muscles were spindling back into his once decapitated head and his hand had reattached itself.

Palla fell to the ground in the blunder but wasn't harmed.

"Gods, how many souls have you devoured, monster?!" Deen stumbled and reached for his sword. His hands were shaking.

Draco breathed in deeply. "Immortality does feel _so_ nice. Did you think you could show up 10 years later and kill me, just like that? Resolve all your conflict and be done with this?" He shook his head and started walking. His laughter was getting louder as he approached, but Deen couldn't ready his sword. His body felt sluggish and unresponsive.

"Come on, Deen, I expected more from you. You trained for years, went through an entire damn war and this is all you can do to me?" Draco towered over him, "It's a shame I can't take your soul, you've a strong one, no doubt." Just as Deen grabbed the hilt of his sword, Draco pinned him against the wall. "I took your eye so long ago, right after I took everything you cared for. Is it finally time for me to take your _life_?"

Deen grimaced, "I don't give a damn if you're immortal." He smashed his head into Draco's, "I'll kill you as many times as I need to!" His hold loosened from the sudden impact, and Deen seized the chance. In an instant, he kicked him off and readied his blade. The weakening shackles on his body were broken by the rush of adrenaline, and with it, Deen carved into Draco. He cut his shoulders wide open, he tore his legs apart and cleaved his chest. His second onslaught left the man in tatters, and he toppled over soon after, yet Draco still grinned.

"Your skill is impressive as ever, and you certainly know how to make a mess of me," he said, "but how long until your body betrays you?"

In that moment, Deen felt an icy grip on his veins. He froze in place, eyes wide and mouth agape. The dull pain in his back burned and made him hunch over in reaction. He wheezed as an invisible force felt as if it were forcing his body to collapse right there.

Draco stared at him, his wounds slowly healing themselves. It wouldn't be long before he could move properly again. "You haven't learned a goddamn thing, have you?"

Eyes wide, Deen sheathed his sword and stumbled over to Palla. He picked her up and made his way out of the dungeons. Though he felt the air leave his body and his awareness of everything begin to fade, he somehow managed to keep running. He tore down the hallways he had just traveled, meeting some mercenaries along the way. They all pointed their weapons at him and attacked. Most of them hit, even as he tried to block them with his shield. He put himself between the offending weapons and Palla, ensuring she would not be harmed any further. If it weren't for his armor, he'd be dead many times over. Bruises formed underneath his steel shell, but he kept moving regardless, for her sake.

Finally, he came to the wall he had scaled. The two dead guards were still there, but no one else was nearby. Deen looked over the edge, uncertain on how he would get down. There was no way to safely do this while carrying Palla. Behind him, he heard faint laughter echo through the corner tower followed by many footsteps. He looked over his shoulder, then back to the hole. "Irene, protect me…" he said.

Then he jumped.

As he fell, his back hit the slanted cobblestone and exploded into pain as the weapon in his back drove further into his body. He screamed and his vision went blurry, but he wouldn't give in yet. He kept Palla as steady as he could while sliding down the bumpy path, and when his feet hit the bottom, he jumped the small distance to the ground and booked it to the horse. He found it and saddled up. Deen put Palla in front of himself, made her as secure as possible then spurred his horse into a gallop. Heart racing, he looked back, but saw no sign of that dreaded green cloak.

There was nothing else to do but put as much distance between himself and that monster as possible. He still couldn't do it, even after everything he'd been through. Deen would've punched something hard, but he quelled his rage for now. He needed to get his passenger to safety, then he could consider his next move.

Some time passed as he and Palla rode back to the port town. Deen's vision was blurring, so he couldn't quite see where the sun was in the sky.

Stirring from unconsciousness, Palla opened her eyes slightly. "Where… am I?"

Deen slowed the horse a bit, then put his shaking hand on her shoulder. "It's me, Palla. You'll be safe soon."

She froze upon hearing his voice. "Deen, what are you doing in Archanea?" She turned to look at him. "You're… hurt."

"Not as much as you are," he said, "don't… push yourself. The town is… is…" He blinked multiple times and shook his head.

Palla frowned, "Something's wrong, we can stop-"

"No, I-I can't."

She looked at Deen for a moment. "Well, it's no good if something happens to you too. I'll just trust that you'll let me know if you need to rest."

"Of course," He slurred. His eyes rolled upward for a moment, but he quickly refocused on the path. They were so close. Safety was just… just around the corner. He couldn't ask for her sympathy anyways, not with the bad blood still between them. "I'm fine," He said.

Palla said something else, but Deen couldn't hear anymore. When had the sun set? He could barely see anything now. The darkness embraced him like a warm blanket and lulled him into sleep. In his last moments of consciousness, he slowed his horse till it stopped. As he closed his eyes, he felt himself falling, then nothing.

* * *

When Deen awoke, it was not a peaceful moment. He looked around wildly but saw no danger. He was in a bed, with his armor, weapons and shirt removed. There were bandages all over his body along with a fair amount of bruising, but it all seemed to be healing. He laid back down and sighed. "Can't believe I fainted. Of all the times… Gods, I hope she's alright."

He supposed he'd have to find her first, for he was alone in the room. Someone had to have rescued the both of them after he failed to ride back into town. Luck had smiled upon them, and Deen couldn't help but think of a certain mercenary that would've agreed.

The door opened, and in stepped Palla. Her eyes widened when she saw Deen sitting upright. "You're awake." Her clothes from before had been replaced with a new green dress and gloves. The muck and grime that covered her face was gone too, but that dour expression did not lift his spirits. "Are you well?" she said.

"I've been better," he said, "My back hurts and I still feel pretty weak."

Palla folded her arms and leaned against the wall, "You had a poisoned dagger in your back and took quite a beating." She looked at the sizable bandage on his chest, "The healer that came by didn't have much confidence you'd recover."

Deen smirked, "Yeah, well, I'm good at taking a hit. Wouldn't be fitting for me to kick the bucket after all I've been through." He looked at her, "You're welcome for the save by the way."

She frowned, "While I am thankful for that, I'm surprised you had some sense of morality to help me." Narrowing her eyes, she leaned forward, "Although, I can't help but think this just part of your 'mercenary work' again, isn't it?"

He glared at her. "I was there for personal reasons; there was no money involved."

"So, what are you implying about me then?"

"Nothing, I saved you because I'd be a bastard to leave you there."

"Why were you even there then? Quite the coincidence I'd say."

Deen locked eyes with her and deepened his frown. "Stop asking questions, I saved you and that's all there is to it."

"I find that terribly hard to believe coming from the likes of you," Palla said. She walked closer to Deen.

He groaned. "Leave me _alone_."

"You held Est captive at one point, you must've come for me as a bargaining chip. But, that's alright, looks like you got what you deserved-"

Deen sat straight up and instantly regretted it. The pain flared up in his back especially, but he wouldn't back down. "I was there because that sick son of a bitch took _everything_ from me!" He seethed and barred his teeth. "Your being there was completely coincidental. In fact, I almost died saving you, because the sicko I gutted came back from the dead and started stabbing me while I got you out of that dungeon." He climbed out of his bed now, and it hurt like hell, but he didn't care. He was so glad to see Palla back up, and he was satisfied to see her reaction to his dead eye, wide open for her to take in.

He opened his mouth to continue the tirade, but he stopped dead in his tracks. One look into her eyes was all it had took. She was afraid of Deen, not of his fury. She looked at him like he was some kind of monster. With his scars… well, it wasn't a bad analogy. Turning, he hobbled back to his nightstand, "Just… go." He grabbed something, then lobbed it at Palla.

She reacted and caught the sack. It was about the size of her palm, and when she undid the knot keeping it shut, a decent amount of gold presented itself to her. She blinked in surprise and looked at Deen.

"Common courtesy," he said, "All you have right now are the clothes on your back. Buy whatever you need and then you can be on your way." He glanced at her, then sat down on his bed, "Now get the hell out of here."

Nothing was said for some time. Deen had already laid back down and turned over so that he didn't have to look at her.

Palla just stood in the doorway, holding the sack of gold. She had made up her mind that he was a terrible person, but this contradicted too much. He worked for Grieth once upon a time and chose to keep working for the man even after he imprisoned Est. What's more, Grieth had kidnapped and sold people even before he captured Est. Despite always having the choice, Deen never left.

He stayed for the money; she was sure of it. The morals of his employer didn't matter to him. This act of kindness was nothing more than a façade to regain her trust, something that Palla wasn't going to fall for. He might've saved her and given this generous donation for her sake, but… but…

She looked down at her feet and frowned. Shaking her head, she closed the door and left.

Now alone, Deen rolled back over and sighed. "What did I do to deserve this...?" He stared up at the ceiling, thinking for a moment. He smiled and laughed, but it was devoid of any genuine feeling. "Oh, right. Yeah, I guess that would explain a lot."

He closed his eyes, but before he could doze off, there was a knock at his door.

"Palla, you're making a _serious _mistake…" he said.

"You've got the wrong gal," the woman behind the door said.

Deen frowned but permitted her to enter. A pretty lady walked in – probably a waitress of sorts – with a plate of food. She set it down on his nightstand, "Doing okay there?"

"Yeah, nothing hurts more than it should," he said.

She rolled her eyes, "Not what I meant, but good to hear. Your friend didn't look so happy when she stormed out."

He chuckled, "Lady, you could not be more wrong about my relationship with that witch."

The woman tilted her head, "Well, I think _you're _the one who's misinformed because she just paid for this tray of food."

"She… what?"

"Hey, don't look a gift horse in the mouth, bub. Eat up and then I'll call for a healer to mend your wounds some more," she said. "You've recovered enough blood by now, so you'll be good to go and catch your friend."

Deen held up a hand, "No, that's fine, I'm not ready to leave just yet."

"You sure? Can't let pretty ones like that get away from you."

"You've got it all wrong, lady."

She shrugged, "Well, either way, enjoy the meal. She paid a pretty penny for it."

He looked at the plate of food for a moment. There was a lot of good stuff there, and even though it ultimately was his money, she spent the gold that he lent her for his dinner. What a fool… what if she ran out of money on the road and couldn't eat? Or what if that gold could've bought her an extra sword? Deen pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.

"On second thought," he said, stopping the woman, "call for a healer."


	2. Chapter 2

"I'll take that one, please," Palla said, pointing to her weapon of choice.

The blacksmith handed the tool to her. It was a basic arming sword, good enough for self-defense and relatively light. She would've preferred a spear but considering the distance she would be traveling and limited gold, she couldn't afford it.

She nodded and sheathed it after her examination. "This'll work." With that out of the way, she paid what was due and walked outside. She thumbed through what gold was left and seemed satisfied. Well, more like accepting that she couldn't purchase anything without considering the consequences.

Looking up, Palla took a step back. There was another horse next to her own, and Deen was atop this humble steed. Like usual, he was armored and aside from his gruff expression, looked right as rain. He turned and smirked. "Took you long enough."

She folded her arms, "Shouldn't you be resting?"

"I decided to tag along; you mind?"

"Yes, I mind!"

"Oh," he said, "Well, I'm going anyways."

Palla frowned and marched right up beside him, "And _what _in Naga's name makes you think I'll even allow it?"

Deen leaned over and narrowed his eye, "Because you'll need my help if you want to get back to your sisters alive." She opened her mouth, but Deen interrupted her. "I know you paid for my food too. Spending gold like that could be the difference between life and death." He straightened himself on his horse, "So, I'm ensuring you get out of this mess, that's all. I still got unsettled business anyways."

"I can handle myself just fine," she said, "I'm a knight after all."

"Yeah, well, I was too at one point and I almost died because I thought just like you." He glared at her, "You want to get back to your sisters in a casket that badly?"

The two stared each other down, neither budging an inch till Palla heaved a great sigh.

"For the love of… Fine, fine! I don't have any more time to waste." She jabbed Deen in the chest with her index finger, "You are to accompany me until I find my sisters, then I don't want to see you ever again. If I even _think _you could possibly be leading me into a trap, I won't hesitate to defend myself, is that clear?"

Deen rolled his eye. "Crystal."

With the terms set, she mounted her horse and the two rode out of town. They traveled for some time at a canter, Deen taking point and Palla trailing. She'd call out directions every now and then, ensuring that there was no possibility of her being led astray. All she saw was a man looking for an opportunity to get in good graces with another brigand that paid well. In reality, Deen had no idea where the hell they were. Sticking with Palla had been a decision to quell his restless mind and to snag a free guide.

"So, this is where you're from, right?" Deen said over his shoulder. They had slowed to a trot now to give their horses a break.

She eyed him funnily and didn't immediately respond. "…Yes, but we're not exactly close to the areas I'm familiar with."

"How are you so sure with your direction then?"

"Well, I've been over here a few times and know the important places," she said.

Deen nodded, "Right, I guess it makes sense when you're usually atop a pegasus. You could just fly anywhere."

"Yep," she said, plainly, then refocused on the road, not even sparing Deen a glance.

Sighing, Deen kicked his horse into gear and the two were off again. The rest of the trip was just as uneventful: they'd ride for a bit, slow down for the horses to rest and Palla would brush off any small talk. Normally, Deen wasn't the type to indulge in speaking unless necessary, but a friend he made in Valentia had convinced him to give it a try. Plus, this was a long trip, communication was key with your travel partner, even if she hates you.

Still, it didn't boost his confidence. He eventually stopped trying and Palla looked rather grateful for the silence.

As the sun set, the duo arrived at a town. Unlike the bustling port, this one was small, and few people roamed the streets. Given the surrounding forests, Deen supposed this was a town that was 'quiet, lonely and dull' as he liked to put it.

"We'll rest here for the night," Palla said. She dismounted her horse a moment later and tied it to a post.

Deen was about to do the same, but Palla motioned for him to stay put as she walked into the inn. He could see her through the window talking to the innkeeper, then after a small transaction of gold, she turned to leave with two keys in hand.

"Still using my gold either way…" He muttered.

As she came out, she tossed him a key. "You're at the end of the hall on the first floor. The stable is out back." She stroked her horse's mane and took the reins to lead it, "Make sure you're up early, I'd like to leave as soon as possible."

He tilted his head, "I guess that means you want to eat dinner alone, yeah?"

She brought her hand to her chin for a moment – probably just to pretend she actually gave it a thought – then looked back at him. "Oh, I'm certain about that."

"You don't want to take that time to talk about our route, anything we might need or clear the air between us?"

"Mmmm… nope."

Shaking his head, Deen maneuvered around Palla, then left his horse in the stables. She really wanted to hold this grudge, one fueled by mistaken rage. But he deserved this, he thought. He'd done enough bad in the world and let so many down that this sort of retribution was warranted. It was like a checklist at this point, and all that was left was for Draco to kill him.

He was hungry, yet he instinctively walked to the bar. Perhaps a drink would do him well. He made his order and then pondered about the recent events in his life. Draco was one thing, and his intentions were another, but Palla was a can of worms he hoped he wouldn't have had to open again. Yet, here he was, forcing himself along to get her home safe. He threw away honor and integrity when he became a mercenary, he was certain of that. But he had no answer when it came to this excursion.

"No, that's not true," he muttered. He glanced down at his Brave Sword, then closed his eyes. "I can't rest knowing Draco's out there. That's all this is."

The bartender set the beer down in front of him and he barely noticed. He gave his thanks and then drank up, letting the alcohol numb the pain. As his headache lifted, he sank into deep thought about what was to come.

* * *

Palla finished eating her food, then looked across at the waitress keeping her company. There weren't any other customers, and seeing as there was nothing else to do, the waitress had decided to talk with the pegasus knight.

"Can't say I've seen any girls that look like that," she said. "You said they're your sisters?"

Palla nodded, "Yes. I did tell them to wait for me in a nearby town, but seeing that I've been gone for a while, I can only assume they're out looking for me."

The waitress looked out the window for a moment. "That's a shame, sorry I can't help."

"Don't worry about it," Palla said. "I'm bound to run in to them at some point, right?"

The waitress didn't respond for a moment as she took a sip of her drink. "Yeah, that's the spirit. So, you traveling alone?"

Palla frowned and looked away, "Unfortunately, no."

"That don't sound too good," the waitress said.

"No, this man isn't exactly my preferred company. He slighted my sister, Est, and I take that as a personal attack."

The waitress cocked her head, "What, did he like break her heart or something?"

"He worked for the man that kidnapped her. What's worse is that he knew about it but didn't free her like the decent man he says he is." She shook her head, "He just kept working for his employer, I even had to fight him at one point."

The waitress took a moment to collect her thoughts. "Yeah that does sound pretty bad. Well, did he _do _anything to your sis?"

"…No, not that I've heard of."

"And did he ever seem to be the type that encouraged this… business?"

Palla didn't answer as she started thinking about it. She hadn't considered the other side of things before. All that she knew was that Deen was tied in with kidnapping Est and that was one way to make a bad impression on the eldest Whitewing. Est never talked about it either, she had always been quick to move on and stay positive.

The waitress leaned forward, "I'll take your silence as a no. This guy's a mercenary, right? Those types don't work just for the heck of getting gold, no matter how much they try to convince you." She sipped her drink. "Chances are he needed that money for something."

Thinking back on it, Palla recalled the moment she had awakened on Deen's horse. That wild look in his eyes was something she had never seen before. Back in Valentia, he was aloof, calm, the spitting image of a professional. She frowned at the very thought. Yet, she couldn't maintain that look of disgust as recent events played back in her mind. He had everything taken from him, or so he claimed. And because of that, he sought vengeance and found her being held captive by that man, Draco.

Still, that left too much to the imagination. Did he only save her out of coincidence? What did he really want with her? He was cold and unsympathetic back in Valentia, yet here, he risked his life and seemed somewhat honor-bound. Or perhaps he had ulterior motives…

"Maybe," Palla said. "His qualities are contrary to the impression I have of him."

The waitress smirked. "Might want to consider giving him a chance then. You gotta travel together anyways, being cordial never hurt nobody."

"Yes, you do have a point there." Palla sighed. "I'll see what I can handle." With that done, she paid for her meal and the two parted ways.

* * *

The night had passed and not a word was spoken between the two travelers. Palla was up early like she had planned, already dressed and her few belongings packed. She stepped out of her room, locked it and returned the key to the front desk. Much to her surprise, Deen was waiting for her, but before she could say anything, he handed her something.

"And _what _is this?" Palla said, unfolding the piece of paper to give it a proper analysis.

"It's a bounty," he said, "We need money to live, you know."

"Ha! I knew it, this is where you lead me off to some place all in the name of fulfilling some contract just to sell me for a pretty penny."

Deen inched away just a tad and looked at her funny, "No, I'm pretty sure this is where you actually read the damn paper. Look here," he said, pointing to the description, "it describes a dangerous spellslinger and says they attacked some folk that live here."

She read it closely, making sure Deen was correct. "Female, wearing a mask and uses dark magic… wait, this sounds like- "

"A witch," Deen said. "That means Draco had something to do with this." He clenched his hands, "I don't even know how it's still possible."

"How can you be so sure it's this Draco man you speak of?"

Deen went quiet and looked away. "We have a history. I've seen him do this before… it's also why he didn't die when I lopped off his head. He exchanges souls for power."

Palla narrowed her eyes, "This sounds awfully familiar."

"Sonya told me once that Jedah was the same, though it was clear he sacrificed to Duma," Deen said. "I thought Draco followed suit, but it seems it was a different dragon all along."

She returned the bounty to Deen and folded her arms. "While I'm all for helping the people, you did mention that this was for money. Are you sure we have to go looking for gold so early?"

"I travel light and only had enough for a few days. Thought I'd be elsewhere by now." He looked at Palla, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

"Well, sure, but we still have to work for the money. That's not how the saying works."

He shrugged, "It does if you're a mercenary."

Palla shook her head, then waved Deen off. As the two mounted their horses, she glanced at him, then towards the opposite direction.

"Are you getting cold feet or something?" Deen said, stopping his horse.

"No! I'm a knight for Naga's sake, I was just… looking."

"Uh-huh." He stirred his horse and turned, heading out of the town. "Looking for a way to escape 'Deen the Kidnapper' I'm sure."

She spurred her horse, and when she caught up to him, slowed down to make her case. "Surely even you can admit my impression of you isn't unfounded."

He shook his head, "You're allowed to think of me however you want, lady. But at least get the full story before you make up your mind." He glanced over at her, "Have you even asked Est about it?"

Palla bit her tongue and looked away.

"That's so typical of you," he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Deen narrowed his eye, "You're really judgmental, especially when it comes to anything that concerns your sisters. I get that you act like the mother hen of you three but-"

Palla's eyes widened, "Who told you that?"

"You really thought I wouldn't notice how you treat me? I mean, come on you find any excuse to-"

"No, I meant the 'mother hen' part."

"Oh," he said, then nodded, "Est likes to call you that a lot, so I guess it rubbed off on me."

"And since when did you get all friendly with my sisters?"

"This was when she was stuck in a cell. I kept her company most of the time." Deen said this with such nonchalance that it only served to frustrate Palla further.

She frowned and looked like she had something to say but decided against it at the last moment. "Just… take the lead already!"

Raising his eyebrows, Deen turned away and did as he was told. Now _that _was a sore spot if he ever saw one. As he spurred his horse, he couldn't help but chuckle. Est really wasn't kidding about that nickname.

They traveled for most of the day, only speaking to one another when Palla gave directions. Upon reaching their destination, they dismounted their horses and proceeded on foot. Deen, as always, took point while Palla trailed behind, watching her surroundings carefully for any signs of an ambush. For the sake of getting paid, Deen didn't say anything regarding her distrust.

Moving through the forest took some time, but they eventually came upon a clearing. What once was healthy farmland was now desecrated soil. Withered wheat stalks, charred and blackened, were strewn about the ashes that piled atop the soil. The wildlife itself seemed all but extinct in this zone of calamity and the trees shirked away from the ugly cyst.

Palla gasped at the very sight of it, but Deen walked out into the clearing without a second thought. "What are you doing?" She called out.

He rolled his eye, "Checking the damage done, looking for casualties, maybe even a lead."

Frowning, Palla jogged after him to catch up, "I know _what _you're doing, I was just… surprised is all."

"You get used to looking at this kind of stuff if that's what bothered you," he said while crouching down to examine the ash.

"No, you still don't get it." She scanned the area again, then looked back at Deen, "Aren't you even a little concerned the witch could show back up here?"

"Witches never return to places they've destroyed." He said this as he let a pile of ash cascade out of his hand and drift away in the wind. There were a few places the witch could've gone from this location, but the issue was that he didn't know Draco's intentions and that snake ultimately pulled all of their strings. Obviously, the bastard wanted more power if he was sacrificing souls to another dragon, but-

With a snap of her fingers, Palla broke Deen's trance. She looked as if she was going to ask something, but Deen was already walking back to their horses. "The witch is long gone, but she might've left a trail. Where's the nearest town?"

"Huh? Oh, if we just follow the road for another hour or so we'll arrive at a town," Palla said.

Deen glanced back at her, "Let's get going then."

As another silent walk passed, the two resumed their journey on horseback. Unlike earlier, however, Deen was not attempting to make small talk. He was quiet and distracted as he delved into his thoughts. Palla had to warn him to steer his horse back on course a couple of times, but he still wasn't present in the moment.

Looking him over, Palla frowned again. Part of her wanted to leave him be and continue to not associate with him, but the other half begged her to reach out. In her line of work, she had become accustomed to helping others, especially allies. Considering the situation, Deen was her ally for the moment, so then…

"So," Palla began, "do you deal with witches a lot?"

Deen blinked and then looked over at her. His eye was wide, like he couldn't believe what was happening right now. "Uh, yeah. You could say that." He adjusted the reins in his hands, "Like I said, Draco and I have a history and he's got a habit for making batches of witches."

"I see." She looked down at her horse, unsure of what to say next.

"Before you ask: yes, I do kill every witch I meet. Guess that makes me a murderer, eh?" He grimaced.

"I wasn't going to ask about that," Palla said, looking right at him. "You can't undo a soul sacrifice anyways."

Deen nodded, "Yeah." He laughed softly. "Celica was lucky a goddess gave her a second chance." Looking up to the sky, he said, "The best we can do for everyone else is ensure their soul can rest."

In that moment, Palla stopped overanalyzing what he was saying. She felt the pain laced in his voice but knew not who it was for. Before her was not a cold mercenary just in it for the money, but a man that was holding something so terribly heavy inside his heart.

He glanced over and saw her staring, "Did I say something funny?"

Shaking her head, Palla returned to the present, "No, it's nothing. I just… well, I respect that you want to end people's suffering."

"It's the least I can do." He left it at that.

Silence consumed the conversation and neither made any attempt to talk again. For the rest of the trip, Palla rode next to him and found herself wondering what kind of person Deen really was.

* * *

_A/N: I apologize for the wait, got pretty lazy with writing. I do prioritize quality, however, so I do try to take my time with the process. In the future, I'll do my best to get a chapter out every two weeks, but at the latest, it will be uploaded by the end of the month. I have every intention of finishing this no matter what! __Also, hope you all are as excited for Three Houses as I am._

_Thanks for reading._


	3. Chapter 3

When the two finally arrived at the town, they were not greeted by the quiet bustle of townsfolk. Smoke billowed out of some buildings, the streets were devoid of any life and soot coated everything in black. Deen jumped off his horse and didn't even stop to ensure it wouldn't wander off. With his sword unsheathed and shield ready, he wordlessly ran into the chaos.

"Hey!" Palla called after him, grabbing the reins of his horse along with her own. There was no time to tie them to anything, so she sternly ordered them to stay put. She chased after Deen but didn't draw her sword just yet.

As soon as she rounded the corner of a building, she saw Deen gutting a man. Palla's eyes went wide, and she nearly abandoned him right then and there. But, against her better judgment, she hesitated and when the dead man slumped to the ground, she spotted a familiar looking snakehead crest on his pauldron.

"They're with Draco," Deen said, a deep frown on his face. "Here of all places…"

It would appear he was right, for the other combatants possessed the same snakeheads on their armor. Palla finally unsheathed her sword and not a moment later was she forced to cut the first brigand down. They seemed decently trained, their parries passable and attacks sufficiently lethal. Still, she had little trouble disposing of her combatants, even if she was less familiar with a sword.

Likewise, Deen churned through his share. They were mere cannon fodder to him.

The fight would've been over within a minute had a rogue fireball not exploded right next to them. Kicking up dirt and smoke, Palla briefly lost vision on her opponent. The man, seeing his opportunity, attempted to run her through.

Without an ounce of hesitation, Deen put himself in front of Palla and blocked the attack. He stumbled, as his footing wasn't perfect, but managed to stay upright. His riposte downed the brigand. With his free hand, he then guided Palla out of the line of fire. Surprisingly, she didn't protest and soon the two were behind the cover of a building.

Palla took this moment to clear her vision, wiping her sleeve across her eyes to clear them of the dirt. Another fireball whizzed past them as Deen ducked back behind their cover. He looked disgruntled, but the apparent lack of fear or concern on his face struck Palla as odd. He really was used to kind of work.

"Damn it, the witch is already here," Deen said.

"You're certain?"

Deen nodded. "We'll have to weave between the buildings. Witches aren't accurate, but when they hit it's enough to kill even a trained mage." He peeked around the corner again. Three men were approaching, armed with spears. They looked no more experienced than the last batch, but a single thrust was all it took to kill. "Last I checked, neither of us were trained in healing magic either."

"This is starting to sound like suicide. Why not just lure the soldiers away?"

"That won't stop a witch from teleporting to our position. At least here we have cover." He readied his shield, "Just stay behind me while we move. Ready?"

She gripped her sword tighter and nodded. They dashed across the street to the next building. Deen immediately had to dodge an incoming fireball, and now that those three men were within striking distance, one of them attacked.

Palla was there in an instant, batting the spear tip aside. She parried another attack and instinctively flinched when she saw the third attack coming for her back. Deen was there to block it, but the momentary distraction ruined her opportunity to retaliate. She was back on the defensive, dancing through the barrage from the two spears. Some attacks nicked her, but it was nothing serious. Given enough time, she would find another opening and th-

A bright ball of orange was suddenly in her face, growing larger by the second. She had forgotten about the deadly spellcaster. There was no time to move or react.

But the burning sensation never came nor did her untimely death.

She blinked and before her stood Deen, hunched over slightly. His shield was red hot as the fireball shattered against it. Though he was not seriously harmed, the heat filtered through and singed his hand and wrist. It burned and his armor only served to insulate the inferno. He bared his teeth, but his sword hand remained just as deadly. Two flashes of his blade killed two enemies and the last was cut down by Palla.

Another fireball came barreling toward them, specifically Deen. The pain must've been too great for him to notice because he wasn't going to get out of the way in time. Without thinking, Palla tackled him to the ground and the fireball missed. She was quick to rise and with her outstretched hand, she pulled Deen back up and helped him get behind cover.

He pressed himself against the wall and barely suppressed a scream. He could feel the skin on his wrist and hand melting beneath his armor. Palla saw this and almost said something, but Deen shook his head. "It's… nothing. Kill witch first."

She looked at him for a few moments without responding, then nodded. "Considering what she's capable of, I think splitting her attention will work."

"Agreed," Deen said, grunting.

"I saw at least four more of Draco's men, all with basic weaponry. I'll be more careful about the witch this time."

"Not your fault," he managed to reply, "Worry later. Focus."

"You're right. I'll lead then."

He didn't argue about that.

Palla darted out from cover, and within a few moments, another blast of fire came hurtling toward her. As soon as the witch attacked, Deen made a break for it and tensed up as he waited for Palla to dodge. She did.

The four men opposing them split into two. Though they saw Deen take a hit from the witch, he wasn't showing any visible signs of weakness. Had they known, they likely would've all swarmed him.

Frantic parries and furious counters were interrupted with the occasional dodge of an overloaded spell from the witch. Though Deen was in a lot of pain, he kept his cool and managed to deal with his share. He glanced over and saw Palla stab the last man before she created some distance between herself and Deen.

As the only remaining opponent, the witch showed no emotion as she fired another spell at Deen. Cursing his luck, he dove out of the way again, not missing a beat. As adrenaline kicked in, the pain numbed but only just. It wouldn't last for long. He took it as a blessing and ran straight for the witch.

Again, she sent death right for him. He leapt out of the way. She did it again and he managed to dodge once more. Deen made some ground each time, but it was no use. He would run out of energy at this rate.

That was where Palla cut in. With a swift thrust, her arming sword pierced the witch's back with ease. The vessel of this poor soul groaned and amazingly removed herself from the predicament by teleporting forward just a bit. Palla was shocked to see the witch now in front of her – bleeding heavily but still preparing another fireball – but she was quick to launch back into battle. Sword leveled; she slashed the witch across the chest. It hit, blood spattered across the ground, yet the witch still opened her palm and aimed at Palla's center mass.

She never got the chance as Deen grabbed the floating woman by the throat and pulled her to the ground. The witch gasped and, in her shock, she fired her spell straight into the air. As she looked up, all she could see was the empty look on Deen's face. He raised his sword and brought it down where Palla had just cut. He did it again. And again. It was like he was butchering an animal. Each time he struck, he wound up for another. The witch's body shook each time his brave sword made another messy incision. His vacant expression twisted and writhed, as if he felt every blow he put out. He couldn't feel his arm anymore. But he couldn't stop. He had to make sure she wouldn't get up again. Irene had to-

"Deen!" Palla grabbed his arm.

He stopped. Looking down, he expected to see the mutilated paste that he worked so hard to create, but instead all he saw was a pile of ashes. Right, that's what happened when a witch died. Still, her blood was smeared across the ground and her mask was painted red, a grim reminder of what he had just done.

Lowering his sword, he looked over at Palla. She was frowning, but not out of disgust or hate. The way she looked at Deen reminded him of how she looked when one of her sisters were in trouble. "Are you okay?"

"…No," Deen said. He couldn't look her in the eye, but then quickly added, "I got burned good on my wrist and hand, but I'll live."

"That wasn't what I-"

"Anyways, let's go look for survivors." He walked off before she could say anything else.

Palla reached out to stop him and confront this issue but ended up letting him go.

After catching up with Deen, they called out for hiding villagers. Sure enough, people began to creep out of the woodwork. Doors opened slowly, shutters were drawn back and curious faces appeared around corners. People wanted to see who they had to deal with now and whether they were a threat or not.

With a little bit of coaxing from Palla, the villagers saw that the duo weren't a threat and emerged from their homes. Always quick to ease the tension, Palla explained that the witch and her cronies had been dealt with. Many thanked her and a few also expressed gratitude to Deen. He looked over at them but said nothing as he stared right through them.

"We'd love to stay and help you," Palla said to the village leader, "but my… partner and I are on an urgent mission. I'm sorry."

The man shook his head, "Worry not, you two have done more than enough for us as it is. We don't have much, but if there's anything we can do to compensate, speak now."

Palla was about to say that they didn't need anything. She had seen Deen scoop the witch's mask up, no doubt to use it as proof of fulfilling the bounty. They'd get that reward at the next town they stopped at. However, she stopped herself and glanced over at Deen. He was cradling his shield hand and he had his eye closed. The frown tugging down his features and the slight glint of his grit teeth did little to ease Palla's concern.

Even if he had worked for Grieth, even if they weren't friends, she couldn't just…

She looked back at the leader and said, "I do have one request."

* * *

After everything was said and done at the village, Deen and Palla trudged back to their horses and started down the path again.

"Can we take it slow?" Deen said. "I promise this isn't a scheme to kidnap you."

"I wasn't even thinking about that to be honest. But now I'm suspicious since you mentioned it."

"Just trying to ease your worries." He stared straight ahead.

"…We can go as slow as you want."

This was a change of pace from their usual canter and gallop speed. Though this made their trip longer, Palla didn't dare point this out. She knew why Deen was asking. He didn't even grasp the reins with both hands.

The ride was quiet. Palla wanted to say something a few times but found she could not each time she caught a glimpse of his face. The pure emotion etched on his face was so acute that she feared it would burst and summon his fury at the slightest amount of pressure.

As night fell, it became apparent that they would have to camp off the side of the road. There was no town within miles of their position. Thankfully, Deen came prepared and had brought a basic tent and bedroll with him. There was no need for two, as one person would stand guard while the other slept.

He moved to get the temporary camp set up, but Palla intervened. "Let me." She then took the tent and bedroll from his grasp.

"Hold on now, I can do this-"

She shooed him away, "Take a seat, it'll only take me a few moments."

Perhaps Deen would've insisted any other time, but he couldn't gather the energy to protest. So, he did as he was told and watched. Palla was sure in her movements, her hands all too familiar with the tools used to set up the tent. "You seem like you've done this before."

"It was a pretty common practice while I was at war," she said, still distracted with what she was doing it seemed. She certainly wasn't looking his way.

Deen, seeing this, took his gauntlet off and examined the damage done. "Right, I forget you were involved in two wars now. You're a pretty seasoned veteran." The burns were worse than he thought. His hand was swollen, patches of skin had peeled off from the intense heat and dried blood matted the usual healthy gleam. The throbbing pain didn't help either. "Hell, I even forget you were part of Celica's army. Nothing against you, we just never talked."

She laughed softly, still tending to the bedroll. "No, that's quite alright. If I'm to be honest, I tried my best to forget you." She continued to smooth out the covers despite them not needing to be.

"You really just had it out for me from the start, huh?" Deen wasn't looking at her anymore, too focused on his wounds. He touched the skin gently and felt pain ripple through his forearm. If he didn't do something about it, the chances of infection and improper healing were high. Not being able to use his shield was a terrible disadvantage too-

He looked up and saw Palla right in front of him. She was frowning and looking directly at his hand. "Deen, why did you try to hide this?"

"It's… nothing," he said, "I've been through worse."

She sat down and began to reach out for his hand. He shrank back. "Can I see your wounds, please?"

Deen grit his teeth. "You don't need to worry yourself about someone like me. We've already established that." He turned away, still cradling his arm.

"Let me worry about who I want to help." She moved to the side of Deen, forcing him to look at her. "Now, your hand, please."

He grumbled, but eventually offered his left hand.

Palla gingerly held it, but Deen still winced. "Dear Naga, you must've been in so much pain." She turned briefly, grabbed the bag of medical supplies and set to work on fixing the burn wounds.

"Where did you get…"

"I got it from the village. All I had to do was ask." She poured some water over Deen's hand to clear any debris, causing him to suck in air through his teeth. "Had you just asked, anyone would've been happy to tend to your wounds."

He snorted. "Maybe, but I deal with my problems alone. I took the hit for you and now I suffer the consequences."

"Do you regret that choice?" She asked suddenly.

Deen's train of thought flew off the rails. That was perhaps the one direction he had not expected this conversation to go. He sputtered for a few moments but collected himself and considered his response.

"No. I'd do it again if I needed to," he said.

"Despite how I treat and distrust you so?"

He nodded. "You're a human being. I put my feelings aside and looked out for you. It's not that crazy, really."

"I just… don't understand." She stopped mending Deen's hand and looked him in his one good eye. "You're supposed to be this horrible opportunist that would go against his own allies for money. Yet you've been anything but. Rough around the edges, sure, but my point stands."

"I wouldn't say I'm a good person." Deen looked away from her. He felt like she saw right through him sometimes. "But I'm definitely not some brigand with no respect for humanity. I saved you because that's what any decent human would do."

Palla tilted her head. "I find it hard to believe just _anyone _would do that. I think you and I know how cruel people can be."

There wasn't a response at all from Deen. A minute passed before he finally said, "Witches bring up bad memories for me and I… I…" he closed his eye, "acted in the heat of the moment."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Palla busied herself with bandaging Deen's arm now. She had an answer at least, and although a question burned in the back of her mind, she did not speak.

"So, what about you?" Deen said, changing the subject. "You haven't really explained why you bought my dinner with your money or even why you give a damn about my wounds."

Palla smiled, though Deen barely saw it. "It's a bit simple I'm afraid. I can't stand not helping people, it's why I became a pegasus knight in the first place." She pointedly looked at Deen now, "And I definitely don't like seeing people disregard their own well-being."

"Hah, I get it now. Must run in the family after all." He shook his head, "I used to think differently, but I wish there were more people like you in this world."

"Well, that's what my sisters are for." Palla tensed up a moment later when she heard something, almost tying the final knot on the bandage too tight. Deen was laughing. "Are you sure you weren't hit in the head?" She said, untying the knot to try again.

He waved off her concerns. "Positive. I just thought your answer was ridiculous."

She frowned.

"You're right of course," Deen added soon after, "Your sisters are similar, but they aren't you." He looked her in the eyes, "Value yourself more. You make a lot of sacrifices so other people don't have to- ow!" He clenched his hand and scrunched his eye up.

Palla blinked and looked down to see she had tied the knot too tight. "O-Oh, I'm sorry! I… I wasn't prepared for you of all people to say something like that."

"It's fine," he said, taking a cleansing breath to numb the pain. "Anyways, just thought you should know that. I was a soldier once too, so I can… relate."

"You did mention that yesterday, although you said you were a knight." She paused so she could focus, slowly pulling the bandage ends in opposite directions until it felt firm but not tight. Perfect. With that done, she let Deen retract his arm. "If you don't mind me asking, what kind of knight were you?"

He scratched the back of his head, "Ah, I might've… exaggerated a bit in the heat of the moment. I wasn't a knight by title, I was only a soldier. A Zofian soldier to be exact." He held up his good hand, "But, I came from a long line of soldiers. We were respected, so I was given more responsibilities than the average man."

"You don't have to prove your worth to me," Palla said. "I know soldiers have their own problems to deal with just as knights do. Neither has it worse than the other." She saw his shoulders relax after she said that. This was rather intriguing though; she'd have never guessed that Deen would be an ex-soldier. "Considering the state of Zofia before Alm and Celica rose to power, I'm sure you had your work cut out for you."

"It was tough, but strangely fulfilling. There were some days I wanted to quit, but I'd just keep making an excuse to stay. I never regretted it." He smirked.

Palla couldn't help it and smirked as well, though she tried to hide it. "I know what you mean. Fighting can be so draining, especially since there seems to be no shortage of evil in the world." She hugged her legs close to her chest and looked at the campfire, "It's an uphill battle that can never be totally won. As long as people have the capacity for evil, we'll never know true peace." She turned back to Deen, "Still, knowing that I can ensure countless others can live without needing to worry about fighting… it makes it all worth it."

"Couldn't have put it better myself." He didn't look her in the eyes as he said that. "I suppose since I'm not a soldier anymore, I go hunt witches to try and keep that philosophy in my life."

She wasn't sure what to make of his response. "So, what made you quit then?"

He shuddered and didn't say anything. His hand began to search for his brave sword so that he could cradle it, but he stopped. "I'd rather not say. Sorry."

Perhaps this is what she had been missing all along in her judgement of Deen. "No, it's alright. You don't need to tell me if you're not comfortable." She fidgeted in place, and after some difficulty speaking, she said, "I trust you."

"…You sure about that?"

"Don't say something suspicious like that! Now I'm doubting myself."

"I just didn't expect to hear that from you."

She focused on her hands and twiddled her thumbs. "I'm only human and make mistakes. Talking with you has cleared many of my misconceptions."

"Glad to hear it," Deen said, "In your defense, I wasn't the nicest person when you met me." Nor was he in the right state of mind. "But there was one guy who bothered me until I was his friend. Guess he rubbed off on me, made me soft." Good ol' Jesse.

"Hmph, I see," she said, smirking, and again she tried to hide it.

"You're not so bad yourself." He extended his good hand, "I'd be willing to give a respectable woman another chance if you could give a lousy man like me the same opportunity."

Palla looked at his hand for a moment, then shook it. "I think that's a fair trade."

"Heh, you said it." They broke the handshake. "Alright, enough chit-chat for tonight, you want first watch or no?"

"Huh? Oh, right." She shook her head, "Sorry, I forgot about that. I'll let you get some sleep first; you're still wounded after all."

That was sound logic. He nodded and then unstrapped his sheathed sword. "Here," he said, handing the weapon over to Palla, "Hold onto that for me."

"…Deen, you don't need to-"

"The tent's small, don't want to poke myself accidentally while sleeping." That and he was sure he'd have nightmares tonight if he held onto the grim reminder of his past. He could see the ghost of a woman's face etched onto its steel, baptized in blood. It vanished as soon as Palla's hand touched the sword. He looked up and saw her nod.

"Alright then, if you insist." She took the sword as he released it and he could feel the pain fading.

"Thank you." He stood up and walked over to the tent. Before he entered, he turned and considered saying something, but he didn't. Palla, however, felt more emboldened.

"Rest well," she said, almost too quiet for him to hear.

Though he never replied, that simple sentence remained in his mind and brought a ghost of a smile to his lips. For the first time in years, he slept soundly.

* * *

When morning came, Deen was the first to witness it. He had taken over guard duty for Palla earlier and his shift had been uneventful. Though his sleep had been untroubled, he still wished he could've slept longer.

Palla appeared from the tent a moment later, yawning.

"Get any shut eye?" Deen said.

She nodded and rubbed her eyes. "Enough to function at least. Will you help me break camp?"

The two wordlessly packed up their few belongings. After stowing the tent away, making sure the fire was put out and everything of importance was with them, they set off again.

They arrived at their destination around noon. Unlike previous towns, this one was massive. Perhaps one day it might even be a city. The amount of people wandering the streets, going one way or another, was all that one needed to see to know this place was well-developed.

After leaving their horses at the stables, Deen was about to set off to collect the bounty. "You should come with me," he said, looking at Palla.

"I'm sure I'd be better off doing something else."

"Just follow me."

Mercifully, she decided to listen to him. Maybe she really was starting to trust him after all. He led her to what looked to be the town hall. Upon entering, Deen announced what business he had to those who were in charge. A distinguished knight soon arrived, and once Deen handed over the bloodied witch mask, the knight nodded and exchanged it for a large sum of gold.

"Here." Deen handed a sizable amount of the gold to Palla, "You worked for it, take your cut."

She frowned and pushed the offer back at him, "We're traveling together, what's the point in dividing our reward?"

"Fair enough, but we're going to split ways when we find your sisters, remember? I'm a man of my word." He presented the gold again. "It's important we divide it now, trust me on this."

Did he really think she had not seen how pitiful his half had looked? "I don't want your money. Now," she said, just as Deen was about to insist on the transaction, "since you mentioned my sisters, how about you hold onto our reward and help me look for them?"

"I'm trying my best to help, you know." He shook his head.

"If you _really _want to help me, just come with me and ask people about my sisters."

Stowing the gold away in a pouch under his cloak, he walked past her. "Let's get going then."

The town was busy as ever, making it easy to ask for information but difficult to get anything worthwhile. Some people recognized Palla vaguely and had heard of her sisters, but the details quickly became muddled. At the very least, Deen and Palla were sure that Catria and Est had been here at some point. Whether they had left or not was still a mystery.

They took a break from their search and were now sitting on a bench. There was a normal amount of space between the two and neither seemed to slightly shift away from the other.

Sighing, Palla rested her head on top of her clasped hands. "Seems we're not having much luck."

"We can't give up yet."

"I know it's just that this was the designated meeting place in case we got separated," Palla said. "The fact that no one can say they've seen them recently means they probably went looking for me. Damn it, you two…"

"They care about you, cut them some slack." Deen smirked. "You must be a pretty good sister if they're willing to go to such lengths to find you."

"I suppose so," she replied, then shrugged, "though I can't assume that. If anything, I'm too controlling." She frowned after saying this.

Deen wasn't sure what to say about that. With another minute of thinking, he finally answered. "Maybe, but you're still family to them and they'll overlook your shortcomings in favor of all the good in you."

He glanced her way and saw that she was looking at him now as if she couldn't believe he was real. Deen coughed and then added, "Just my two cents though. Believe what you want." He decided to change the subject. "Anyways, let's get back to our search."

She nodded after a moment. "Do you think we should split up?"

Though he wanted to say no, he caught himself. That wasn't a bad idea and the town seemed safe enough. "Alright," he said, "It's past noon now, so let's meet back here when the sun's setting."

She nodded, "That sounds good to me, I'll see you then."

"Careful out there."

They went separate ways after that. Deen asked people about the Whitewing sisters as he went, though the information he got didn't help much. Regardless, if someone gave him directions to some part of town, he'd follow and see what could be found. Time flew by as he continued his search, and just as he was about to give up and return to Palla, someone finally gave him an actual answer.

"Pink hair, short and rides a pegasus, yeah?" The man said to Deen. He was a town guard and claimed he had talked with her the other day. "She told me she was going looking for her sis, had a fellow accompanying her. He was tall, green hair, polite too. Sound familiar?"

Well… not that last part. Palla hadn't told Deen about someone else being here. "Yeah, that sounds like her. Any idea where she might be? I'm traveling with her sister, we split up to look for her."

The guard eyed Deen for a moment, "She should be back any moment, told me to send for help if she wasn't back by today." He looked outward from the town and squinted his eyes. "Ah, there she is. Right there if I'm not mistaken."

Deen looked at what the guard was pointing at, and sure enough, he saw that familiar short, pink hair and petite frame. She had dismounted her pegasus at this point and was guiding it back to town, likely giving the animal a well-deserved rest. Just as the guard had said, there was a man with green hair riding a horse next to her. They seemed to be talking to each other, Est in particular looked crestfallen.

A few moments later, they came close enough to notice they had company. Est made eye contact with Deen, and the moment she did, her eyes went wide and her mouth agape. Her signature grin came soon after and without a second thought, she handed her pegasus to the green haired man and hurried over.

"Deen!" She said, then tackled him with a hug. He had to steady himself for a moment but wasn't bothered by it.

"Nice to see you too, Est," he said, smiling.

Breaking the hug, Est looked up at Deen. She was shorter than her sisters, and that quality always made Deen think of her as a kid. "What are you doing here in Archanea?" She asked.

Deen shook his head, "Long story, I'll tell you later. I'm here with Palla though. We've been looking for you and Catria."

"You. Here with Palla. My big sister that hates you."

He shrugged, "We're adults, things change. I wouldn't say we're friends, but we've cleared the air between us."

"I'll believe you when I see it," Est said. "But I'm glad if it really is true."

The man with green hair finally caught up to Est. "Who's this, Est?" He said.

She smiled at the man, then turned back to Deen. "Deen, meet Abel." She motioned to the man standing beside her, "He's my… my… um, we're… together." Her face was a little red as she said that.

Abel extended his hand, to which Deen shook. "A pleasure to meet you," Abel said.

"You treat her well?" Deen said, not letting go of Abel's hand just yet.

The cavalier blinked, not at all expecting the sudden question, but answered regardless. "Of course. I love her with all my heart."

Est had to look away after that, although she did smile too. "Stop it, you're embarrassing me!"

Smirking, Deen let go of Abel's hand. "I'm sure she can be tough to keep up with. I know how energetic she can get."

"Heh, that's one way of putting it." He looked Deen up and down, then thought for a moment. "You wouldn't happen to be the same Deen that Est has told me about, would you?"

He nodded, "The one and only."

"Oh wow. Thank you for keeping her safe." He bowed, "I don't know what I'd do if something had happened to her."

With a bewildered look in his eye, Deen turned to Est. "You _did_ tell him that I worked for Grieth, right?"

"Well, duh," she said, "That's the only way the story makes sense. You still did a lot to delay anything bad that could've happened to me."

"I should've done more." He waved his hand, shooing off any praise. "Anyways, I'm supposed to meet up with Palla soon. I'll take you two to her if you want, we'll swing by the stables on the way in."

Est smiled again. She was always bright and chirpy. "That'd be great! Come on, let's go, Abel."

After they got the pegasus and horse situated in the stables, they made the short walk to the same bench Deen and Palla had agreed to meet back at. She wasn't there yet, but they were early. The sun was only just beginning to set.

"Where's Catria gone off to?" Deen said without preamble.

Surprisingly, Abel answered this one. "She was here a few days ago but left."

Est nodded, "Abel and I decided to stay in case Palla came around here. Catria went to go search on her own." Est looked down at her feet, "We were all really worried…"

"Don't worry about it," Deen said, "Least you two are here. We'll see what Palla wants to do about this."

They continued to make small talk until Palla finally arrived. She pushed her way through the crowd and walked up to Deen, "Any luck?"

He smirked, then stepped aside, "For once, yeah."

"Est! A-Abel?!" Palla said. She was soon tackled by Est.

"Omigosh, Palla I was so worried! We got away just like you said, but then we didn't leave completely and we waited around forever but then you never appeared so we knew that something bad happened and that creepy man hurt you and-" She took a breath, "We… we were _so_ worried about you."

There were few things that made Deen feel warm inside, but this family reunion was certainly one of them. He stayed detached from the conversation, letting them have their moment. Palla of course hugged her sister back and greeted Abel cordially.

"How did you know to come here, Abel?" Palla said.

"Est sent a message by pegasus. It's only a two-day trip here by horseback so I came as quickly as I could." He looked at her and smiled. "I'm glad you're alright. You're a dear friend and I wouldn't want to lose you."

She broke eye contact the moment he established it. "…Your concern is touching." Gods, this hurt. Did it have to be him that came along? Deen would've been far more preferable for company at this rate. She glanced up at the thought of him and saw that he was looking right at her.

Clearing her throat, Palla pushed the conversation onward. "In any case, where's Catria?" Her question was immediately answered by Est, who gave the same explanation that Deen received.

"She ended up going east last I saw her. Apparently, there had been talk of suspicious people occupying a city, so she thought that would be a good place to look for a clue," Est said. "That and it was close to where we last saw you."

Well, at least their plan was sound. "We'll need to hurry tomorrow then; I have a feeling that Deen and I are familiar with these suspicious people." She glanced at Deen, who nodded. "Alright then, do you two have enough money for food and lodging tonight?"

"Yep," Est said, "my old pal Deen made sure of that!"

"Don't push your luck, squirt," he said, smirking.

"So, sis, do you and Deen want to come to dinner with us?"

Palla almost said yes outright, but stopped when she remembered who else was here. She had to force herself to keep smiling, even as she saw Abel again. "No, thank you. I'm afraid I didn't get much sleep last night, so I think I'll turn in early."

Pouting, Est shook her head. "Aw, that's a shame, but I understand." A moment later, her blinding smile was back. "Get some good sleep then. We can talk all day tomorrow, right?"

"Of course, Est. I'll always make time for you." The two embraced briefly, and with a wave goodbye, Palla turned to leave. "Have a good night, Deen." Her forced smile crumbled right then.

He didn't reply.

With her sister gone, Est turned to Deen. "How about you? You're still welcome to join."

"I'd like to get to know you better as well," Abel added.

Deen smirked. "Next time, I promise. I got to get some maintenance on my sword, plus I could use some rest too. Got banged up in the last battle." He showed his bandaged hand. Est had probably noticed it by now, but now that he brought attention to it, she looked as if she was going to ask something. "I'll tell you about it later. You two enjoy the night to yourselves."

With that he walked off. Part of him wanted to go find Palla, but he resisted that urge and stuck to his original plans. Something was obviously wrong, he could taste the thinly veiled tension, but he'd need to see more before jumping to conclusions. Although, it wasn't his place to say anything. They gave each other a chance and treated each other like normal people, but they weren't friends. Even if he was taking a quiet liking to her dignity and confidence.

And so, he decided to let it go, for now at least.

* * *

_A/N: Finally, a new chapter, a very overdue one at that. I'm sorry for the wait, really underestimated how much time I'd sink into Three Houses – which is close to 150 hours now if I'm remembering correctly. Moving back to college life also interfered more than I predicted it would, but at the end of the day it just all culminated in demotivating me from writing._

_Thankfully, I felt so guilty about missing my loose schedule that I decided to make this chapter longer. I actually like them better around 6k words, so I think I'll stick with it moving forward. In any case, just wanted to let you all know what had been going on. In the future, I'll keep A/Ns to a minimum. I'm more interested in letting people just read than injecting my own thoughts at the end of a chapter._

_Thanks for reading._


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